Director, Private Credit - National Life Group : Job Details

The CompanyFor 175 years, National Life Group (“NLG”) has aimed to keep their promises to provide families stability in good times and in bad. And throughout that history, they have provided peace of mind to those families as they plan their futures. As a mission-driven business, the cause of what they do is as important as the products they sell. And their cause is a very simple one, directed at the people who live and work on America's Main Streets: “To Do good in our communities and with the individual families we serve.”NLG Capital, the investment management company of NLG, manages approximately $40+ billion in AUM. Our purpose is simple – to allow NLG to keep its promises. How we do this – an obsessive focus on delivering investment results. We drive results through a rigorous but collaborative investment process, and we hold ourselves to the highest of standards, both as investors and teammates. While our process is based on rigor, our culture is based on our guiding principles: Meritocracy, Uncompromising Transparency, Intellectual Honesty, Performance Driven Learning, Relentless Pursuit of Excellence. These principles serve as the foundation of our team. They govern the way we conduct ourselves, how we interact with teammates and how we approach every investment decision. We act with the integrity and humility required to make the investment decision that is right for the firm, and ultimately our policyholders. Our culture has been deliberately built to foster curiosity and provide opportunities to learn and grow, both as people and investors. The flat and collaborative nature of our team promotes an atmosphere where the best ideas are continually expressed and rewarded. Our pursuit of excellence is unwavering.Position Summary:The Director, Private Credit, will play a pivotal leadership role in the newly formed Private Credit vertical, overseeing the strategic sourcing, evaluation, execution, and management of private credit investments. This senior role requires an experienced professional with 5+ years of experience in private credit, including a strong background in credit analysis, financial modeling, due diligence, and deal structuring. The Director will be responsible for leading a team, collaborating closely with senior management, internal teams, and external partners to originate and execute direct investments, as well as working on partner-led investments and secondary credit market opportunities. Additionally, the Director will play an integral part in driving the continued development and growth of the firm's private credit capabilities, ensuring high-quality execution of transactions and overseeing strategic initiatives across the firm.Essential Duties and Responsibilities:Leadership & Team Development: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of professionals within the Private Credit vertical. Foster a collaborative, high-performance environment that encourages innovation and excellence.Credit Analysis & Due Diligence: Take a leading role in overseeing the comprehensive credit analysis process for both direct investments and partner-led transactions. Work extensively alongside the team in evaluating financial statements, assessing credit risks, and conducting in-depth liquidity/capital structure analysis. Serve as primary point of contact with borrowers, advisors, and counsel for each investment. Provide strategic insight and analysis to ensure sound decision-making.Financial Modeling & Deal Structuring: Development and maintenance of financial models for assessing investment opportunities. Lead the structuring of credit deals, ensuring alignment with the firm's risk-adjusted return goals.Investment Committee Presentation: Lead presentation of new investments and updates on existing investments to the Investment Committee.Drafting & Reviewing Legal Documents: Oversee the drafting, review, and negotiation of critical legal documents, including term sheets, credit agreements, bond indentures, and other related documentation. Work closely with in-house and external legal counsel to ensure robust execution of transactions.Direct Investments & Partner Collaboration: Spearhead efforts to source and evaluate high-quality private credit investments. Lead and manage relationships with external partners such as private equity firms, direct lenders, capital market desks at investment banks/advisors, and other financial institutions to structure and execute investments.Secondary Credit Market Investments: Take a leadership role in identifying and assessing secondary credit market investment opportunities. Direct the evaluation of portfolio acquisitions and single-name credits, while ensuring these opportunities align with the firm's overall investment strategy.Portfolio Management & Monitoring: Oversee and manage the performance of both direct and partner-related investments. Provide strategic oversight for portfolio optimization, ensuring that investments comply with terms, are performing as expected, and that actionable insights are presented to senior management.Relationship Management & Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain high-level relationships with borrowers, investment partners, legal counsel, and other key stakeholders. Represent the firm in discussions with external partners and stakeholders, ensuring smooth execution of transactions and strong ongoing partnerships.Independent Contribution & Initiative: As a senior leader, take ownership of high-impact projects and initiatives, providing strategic guidance and ensuring the team's success in executing the firm's private credit strategy. Drive key decisions and lead critical deal execution with minimal supervision.Qualifications:Education: A Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field is required. An MBA, CFA, or other advanced credentials are a positive.Experience: A minimum of 5+ years of experience in private credit, private equity, or a similar financial services role. Previous buy-side experience in private credit is essential. The candidate must have extensive experience in credit analysis, financial modeling, transaction execution, and leadership. Prior experience working with private credit funds, investment banks, or financial institutions on direct investments, partner-led transactions, and secondary credit market investing.Skills:Advanced proficiency in financial modeling and valuation, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.In-depth knowledge of credit markets, capital structures, debt instruments, and transaction structures, with expertise in senior secured loans, unitranche debt, and secondary credit market investments.Exceptional ability to provide credit opinions and recommendations to senior management, investment committees, and external stakeholders, both in written memos and verbal presentations.Extensive experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating legal documents such as term sheets, credit agreements, bond indentures, and other investment-related documentation.Outstanding communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex financial strategies, investments, and market trends to senior executives and external partners.Proven experience leading and managing external partner relationships, negotiating complex investment deals, and collaborating on joint transactions.Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to oversee multiple priorities and ensure timely, high-quality execution in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.Personal Attributes:A highly self-motivated individual with a demonstrated ability to lead teams, driving excellence and results.A collaborative, strategic thinker who excels in cross-functional environments and works well with senior executives and other key stakeholders.A results-oriented, detail-driven professional committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality and professionalism in all aspects of work.Benefits and CompensationYour benefits start day one and are flexible and customizable to your and your family's specific needs. Check out the BENEFITS of a Career at National Life!The base salary range for this role is between $225,000-$275,000 annually. We are open to varying levels of experience.In addition to base salary, other rewards may include an annual bonus, quarterly bonuses, commissions, and other long-term incentive compensation, depending on the position. National Life offers a competitive total rewards package which includes: a 401(k) retirement plan match; medical, dental, and vision insurance; a company funded wellness account for director and below employees; 10 paid holidays; a generous paid time off plan (22 days of combined time-off for non-exempt employees and exempt employees have discretion in managing their time, including scheduling time off in the normal course of business, but in no event will exempt employees receive less sick time than required by state or local law); 6 weeks of paid parental leave; and 6 weeks of paid family leave after a year of full-time employmentNational Life is accepting applications for this role on an ongoing basis and the role remains open until filled. National Life Group® is a trade name of National Life Insurance Company, Montpelier, VT – founded in 1848, Life Insurance Company of the Southwest, Addison, TX – chartered in 1955, and their affiliates. Each company of National Life Group is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations. Life Insurance Company of the Southwest is not an authorized insurer in New York and does not conduct insurance business in New York. Equity Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC, is a Broker/Dealer and Registered Investment Adviser affiliate of National Life Insurance Company. All other entities are independent of the companies of National Life Group.National Life Group1 National Life DrMontpelier, VT 05604Social Media PolicySite Disclosure and Privacy Policy#LI-KV1#LI-HybridJob SummaryRequisition Number: DIREC003635Job Category: Investment ManagementSchedule: Full-Time